Melvins to Play Showbox at the Market on July 6

After 19 full-lengths, seven EPs, 10 live records and nine compilation records, the genre-defying Melvins, who are playing the Showbox at the Market on July 6, are clearly rock veterans.Â The trio became a steady four-some in 2006, adding former-Big Business-men Coady Willis as a second drummer and Jared Warren on bass.Â Dale Crover is the original percussionist, and Buzz Osborne rocks on lead vocals and guitar.

Osborne, affectionately known as â€œKing Buzzo,â€ has described the band’s sound as â€œCaptain Beefhart playing heavy metal,â€ according to a Melvins fan-site.Â Stereo Subversion’s Julian Zlatev said their music gives the listener â€œthe aural equivalent of a suckerpunch to the gut,â€ and others have labeled the band â€œsludge metal.â€Â Melvins’ originally played punk covers, but their original music quickly made a slow, heavy turn before many other 1980s metal groups.

The band formed in the early â€˜80s in Aberdeen, Wash., which is Kurt Cobain’s hometown, and Melvins’ music and friendship were reportedly a great influence on Cobain.Â There are rumors that Cobain auditioned to play bass for the band but was too nervous and forgot the songs.Â He remained friends with the band until is death.

Melvins has had trouble keeping steady bassists.Â The founding bass player, Matt Lukin, left the band to form Mudhoney, another Seattle-heavyweight in the metal scene.Â Three other bassists held the position before Warren took up the axe in 2006.

The band released a new album, The Bride Screamed Murder, earlier this month, putting their full-length tally at 20.Â The sludge metal-ists are slated to play two sets at the Showbox at the Market on July 6.Â â€œEvil New War Godâ€ is the second track from Bride and can be heard here.